Superintendent responds to Connecticut tragedy

The following statement was released Friday by Lewisville ISD Superintendent Stephen F. Waddell:

I am sure you know about the tragic events at an elementary school today in Connecticut. Our first reaction is shock at the senseless violence, especially upon innocent children, and our hearts and prayers go to the children, their families and the community.

I know that such tragedies cause fear to rise within you about the safety of your children. I want to assure you that the safety of your children is of the first importance to us. Today, we have asked local police and emergency providers to increase their patrols of our schools. Most had already planned this. We are also having LISD support staff stationed at the schools at dismissal.

The most important part of safety is to plan for daily security and for emergencies. LISD protects its buildings by guarding entries and locking other doors. Visitors must enter through the office and must do an identification check. We have developed emergency procedures based on FEMA guidelines and in consultation with local safety officials. All campuses have intruder and lockdown protocol as part of their emergency procedures and are required to practice this training routinely.

We constantly strive to assure the safety of our students. Such tragedies are shocking, but schools remain some of the safest places to be. We take safety as our most serious responsibility and will continue to improve how we can provide that.